Apartment Life
by Handwritten
Summary: Roxas and Naminé have gotten their first apartment together. A collection of oneshots outlining their new life as new struggles make way into their home, the cute moments that come along, and constant run-ins with Disney characters! (Hercules in the elevator? Ariel in the park? Yes please.)
1. First Fight

**Apartment Life**

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_Before you read - this collection is set sometime after my oneshot 'Irene's Seduction'. Naminé and Roxas now live together, and I'm going to be posting short-shorts/oneshots about their "apartment life" (hence the title). One or two per chapter (depends on the length)._

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**01 - First Fight**

"Naminé…what are you doing in there?" Roxas asked through the closed door to the bathroom. He heard running water. He picked at the peeling paint on the frame.

"Bath." The word was muffled and quiet, and Roxas sighed as he heard the water be shut off. She didn't sound like herself.

His voice lowered. "Can I come in?"

"I'm already in, Roxas." She answered, and Roxas couldn't help but get the feeling that she was upset. With him.

"Is something wrong?" He tried the handle. She had locked the door. "You were pretty quiet over dinner." He leaned his forehead against the door, waiting for her reply. They had been living together for well over a month now, and it had all been smooth sailing.

Well, until now.

"You can talk to me."

"…It's nothing." Naminé said finally. Roxas could hear splashing, and gulped as he imagined her bare form.

"It's not nothing. Please. If I've done something…tell me. Give me a hint, or something. Just so I don't do it again. It won't make it better if we don't talk."

"It's just…." She trailed off, and Roxas sighed as he heard more noise. He listened carefully for the sound of her pulling her towel off the hook. Her slick feet walking on the tile.

The latch on the door was turned, and Roxas found himself facing a dripping wet Naminé. Her hair looked longer than usual, and the white towel wasn't quite long enough to cover the top of her cleavage. If it wasn't for the sullen expression on her face, he might have been turned on.

"You okay?" Roxas ignored her plea, and moved in to hug her. Even though she protested, he firmly held her to his chest. "Tell me."

Her voice wobbled as she spoke slowly. "It seems like we don't talk much any-anymore. W-We haven't made love in a week, Roxas. What...what am I supposed to think? I know we're both working really hard, so by the time we get back, the last thing we feel like doing i-is…."

Roxas reached up, his bare hands grazing her equally bare shoulders. As he gazed into her eyes, she said, "Are you sure you still love me?"

"Of course I love you, Naminé. I always have, and I always will." He barely got the last word out before her arms were around his shoulders, and their lips moulded together.

It only took them a moment to strip Roxas down to his boxers. As they sunk down onto the floor, they both knew their week-long abstinence would soon be coming to an end.


	2. Male Guest

**02 - Male Guest**

As Roxas entered the front hallway of their small apartment, he heard voices. His heart skipped a beat, and he held his breath as he walked towards the living room. He stepped into to view to find Naminé kneeling on the floor, looking at pictures spread on the coffee table. There was a man sitting on the couch, who was grinning at her. Roxas blinked.

When Naminé saw him, she leapt up to give him a quick kiss before turning to the guest. "Roxas, this is Leon." Leon bent forward, and shook hands with Roxas. He couldn't help but grow a bit nervous. This dude was _good looking. _He didn't smile at Roxas.

"Hey." Roxas said, still unsure of what to say. Leon was just as silent, and the two males stared at Naminé until she said something.

"Leon is the friend in college who I told you was coming to visit me today. He brought all these photos-" She stopped to giggle. "Some of them are hilarious. Brings back all sorts of memories."

Roxas couldn't help but feel a few pangs of jealousy. He had known Naminé since childhood, but they had gone to completely different colleges. He had no part of her college life. Had she hooked up with this guy, or something?

Leon grinned wryly. "Anyway, Naminé, I'm glad you enjoyed them. I would have given them to you earlier, but my internship started sooner than I expected." He grabbed his jacket off the chair and once again shook hands with Roxas. "It was nice meeting you, Roxas. I've heard a lot about you."

"Ah, yeah, you too." Roxas said quietly, waving as Naminé walked Leon to the door.

"Thanks for coming, Leon. It means a lot." She said before closing the door. When Naminé came back into the living room, Roxas was sitting on one of the chairs, looking distant.

He tapped his fingers against the upholstery, and sunk farther into the seat. "How long was he here for?" He made his voice sound uninterested.

"Not long. Twenty minutes, maybe. It was just a quick visit." She sat on the arm of the chair, leaning against his side, stroking his hair. She could tell he was bothered.

Roxas grabbed the pile of pictures on the table, and began flipping through them, ignoring Naminé's feathery light touches. Naminé giggled again when he paused at several pictures of his girlfriend at the college pool, grinning as she clutched onto a beach ball.

"You look the same." Roxas grinned. "'Cept for your hair, of course. I like it long." He glanced at her. Because of the distance between both of their colleges, he had rarely seen her, even on breaks. It was just too expensive.

The female blushed, looking down at her fingers. "Don't be silly. I'm not nearly that fit now."

Roxas pulled her down onto his lip, kissing the side of her head. "Hm. I can't see any difference." He smoothed his hand over her flat stomach.

Namine touched his cheek, before kissing him solidly. Yet while they kissed, Roxas couldn't help but feel a bit lost. Once Naminé realized he wasn't concentrating, she leaned away. "You seemed kind of awkward earlier, Roxas. Was it Leon?"

"You didn't tell me your friend visiting was a male."

"Yes I did." She smiled, pressing into him until he gave a faint groan of pleasure. "Several times. You just weren't listening."

"Well, I'm all ears now. Talk away" He kissed her again. His hand drifted idly up her side.

"Shut up."

The photos lay forgotten on the floor for the rest of the evening.

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_LOL I promise these are going to get more interesting. Such as the couple going to meet the new neighbours, settling who makes dinner etc. XD_


	3. Plan B

_Set a few days after they moved in._

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**03 – Plan B**

"Roxas. You _have _to be kidding me."

Naminé stood, open-mouthed, at the scene before her.

"What. Have. You. DONE?"

Roxas stood amidst a sea of flour, sugar, broken eggs, chocolate chips..."I can explain!" He said, looking guiltily at the mess he had made of their kitchen.

"You had better." She said, looking in dismay at the measuring cups and bowls scattered on the counters. When she had left in the morning, the biggest mess there had been was her empty mug in the sink. But this...this looked as if someone had let loose a dozen six year-olds or something!

Roxas was covered head-to-toe in flour and spilled ingredients. At least he was wearing old clothes. "Remember how we were going to go meet the neighbours tonight?" She nodded, and he continued slowly. "Well...my mom called, and-"

"Oh, that explains it." Naminé muttered. Not that she didn't like Roxas' mother – she did – but if she told Roxas ANYTHING, he would believe it.

"She said we shouldn't go meet them without a baked offering." He finished weakly, glancing at the oven.

"You couldn't have waited until I got home?" Naminé asked, stepping cautiously around a precarious stack of mixing bowls.

"I wanted it to be...a surprise?" He tried.

"Ugh." She took a moment to sniff the air. "What is that _smell_?"

"Oh-!" Roxas leapt up, sending multiple items crashing to the floor as he jumped to the stove. When he pulled open the door, billows of dark smoke immediately surrounded him. Yelping, he grabbed the oven mitts, and yanked out the tray where what-could-have-been-cookies were burnt to a crisp.

Naminé began fanning the air near the smoke alarm with a tea-towel; her eyes watering. "I can't believe -" -cough- "-you! What were you _thinking?_ You remember how you got that F in home economics, don't you?_"_

"Have no fear," Roxas began scraping the blackened remains into the garbage, his hair even more mussed than before. "there's always Plan B."

"...Great. Can't wait to hear that one."

"You have no faith. Check the cupboard behind you."

Naminé opened it, not sure what to expect. Inside, lay a package of twelve chocolate-chip cookies, fresh from the bakery near Roxas' work. "I picked them up on my way home...just in case."

His girlfriend couldn't help but smile. "Fine. We'll bring these over later." She surveyed what was left of the kitchen. "I guess I'll help you clean, otherwise you'll be here all night."

Roxas grinned cheekily. "Doesn't the mess kinda turn you-"

"Don't even try it."


	4. Her Parents

**04 - Her Parents**

"Oh, god, your parents? Tonight?" Roxas stood with the sleeves of his white collared shirt's sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The AC at his office had broken down, and he felt sweaty and disgusting. All he wanted to do now was take a shower, and take a nap. It had been a record-breaking heatwave today, and he did _not _feel like entertaining. Not that there was anything wrong with her parents - but it had been a long day, and he wanted to relax! (And, yeah, her old man told tons of long, boring stories, and Roxas didn't think he would be able to stay awake).

But when he had entered the apartment, Naminé was setting the table, wearing her new blouse, her black pants, and heels.

"Yes, Roxas. I told you they were coming this morning. Don't you remember?"

"No..." Roxas groaned, kicking his shoes into the hall closet. He slumped down to the kitchen, sluggishly pouring himself a glass of water. Naminé trailed in after him, touching his shoulder.

"I could call them and cancel, if you really don't want to."

"No, no, it's fine." Roxas muttered. "Just let me rest a bit. I'll go take a shower."

Naminé let her hand graze the few unbuttoned buttons of his shirt. "Don't take too long in there." She winked before turning away to finish the table.

Roxas shook his head, dumping the last bit of his water down the drain.

_They'll only be here for a few hours. Then I'll finally get some sleep.

* * *

_

Roxas had just finished putting the vacuum away when the doorbell rang. Naminé skipped towards it, opening it with a flourish. With murmurs of exclamation, she hugged and kissed both her parents.

Her mother was a tall woman, with flawless skin and fading hair to match her fading eyes. Her father, on the other hand, had a dark complexion, with even darker hair. It wasn't difficult to see who Naminé took after.

After Roxas stepped forward, shaking hands with her father an hugging her mother, Naminé led them all into the living room for a glass of wine. As they all sat in the chairs and on the couches, Roxas spoke.

"So, which hotel did you two decide to stay in? I know it can be hard to find a good one this time of year." He didn't catch his girlfriend's pointed look.

Naminé's mother laughed, setting her glass on the table. "Dearie, we're not staying at a hotel." She looked fondly at her daughter.

"We're staying here for the night!"

_To be continued..._


	5. Walls

**05 - Walls **

_(__continued from 04)_

"You didn't think to mention that they were staying for the night?" Roxas yelled-whispered as they faced each other in the kitchen. He had excused the both of them, saying he needed her help in the kitchen. He busied himself with opening another bottle of wine, trying not to let his annoyance get the best of him.

Naminé fiddled with her hands. "I said I was sorry! Honestly, my mom didn't spring it on me until just a few minutes before she even got here! On the phone, while you were still cleaning!" She took the wine bottle from Roxas, where he had been tugging uselessly at the cork. "They're leaving early tomorrow morning. So you don't have to worry about spending _too_ much time with my parents." She added, a bitter note in her voice.

Roxas paused, looking over at Naminé. Her frown had grown deeper, and she was pouring wine so quickly into the glass, it was near overflowing. As if just realizing this, she quickly moved her hand back.

"Sorry, Nam." Roxas muttered, taking the glass. "I like your parents – don't look at me like that, I do! - but I just wish you would tell me these things."

"I promise, next time, I will." Naminé affirmed before leading them back into the living room. Roxas mentally groaned. _There's going to be a next time?_

"What took you two so long?" Naminé's mother laughed teasingly. "No need to say – I remember how it was when I first moved in with my boyfriend." She winked at Naminé, causing her daughter to swiftly turn red.

"Mother!"

"What, darling?"

Naminé shook her head, sitting back down on the couch and placing the glasses on the table. As Roxas sat down as well, Naminé's father leaned forward excitedly, slapping his knees with his hands.

"Roxas, m'boy, let me tell you about the time I planned to go fishing up the creek with Nami's uncle..."

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**10 minutes later**

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..."It was quite fascinating, you see, since it turns out that the other young fisher hadn't even the right bait to catch that kind of trout." Naminé's father laughed so loudly, Roxas didn't think he would even notice how forced his own sounded.

"Well, how about we start dinner?" Naminé suggested, catching how Roxas was struggling with himself to stay upright.

"That sounds good." Her father said, staring at his empty wine glass as if it had just occurred to him that he was drinking on an empty stomach.

As dinner progressed, Roxas grew more and more exhausted. It was getting difficult to focus on Naminé's father's ridiculously long story-telling, or when her mother would ask him the occasional question.

"This is nice, all of us together." Her mother said after the table had been cleared, and he tried to nod enthusiastically.

"It has." Naminé replied, grasping his hand under the table; as he and her father simultaneously stifled a yawn, her mother laughed.

"I guess it's time we get to sleep."

"Yes – I'll show you where you're sleeping."

Roxas' body was desperate to lay down in his comfy bed, and he sighed as he watched his girlfriend lead her parents to their room where they would be staying for the night.

Once goodnights had been said, teeth brushed, their door had finally been closed, Roxas breathed a sigh of relief. Both he and Naminé met in the living room, helping each other turn the fold-out couch into a bed.

"This won't be so bad." Naminé murmured as they tucked in the sheet, throwing two pillows on top. Collapsing under the blanket, Roxas tiredly switched off the lamp.

In the dark, Roxas pulled Naminé against his side, kissing her softly.

"Man, it'll be nice to have to the place to ourselves tomorrow." He said, louder than he meant to. "You looked really nice tonight."

Naminé giggled. "You think so?" They kissed again, and Roxas moved so he was leaning up on one elbow. The springs of the couch creaked as he shifted against her. Naminé moaned quietly as they pressed against each other.

Naminé's mother's voice floated out from the bedroom.

"My, these walls are thin."


	6. Cheese

**06 - Cheese**

"What kind of cheese do you like?" Naminé asked, referring once again to her long list of grocery items they needed. They had put it off for as long as they could – but now, here they were.

"Mozzarella." Roxas answered immediately, not looking up from where he was considering the price of a jar of salsa he had taken off the shelf earlier.

"Really?" Naminé teased. "What's wrong with good ol' fashioned cheddar?"

Roxas shrugged. "Cheddar is fine. I just like Mozzarella more."

Naminé fluttered her hands nervously between both types. This was where living together got complicated. Their budget was tight – and they couldn't go and buy two different types of cheese every month!

"Namine." Roxas snapped his fingers in front of her blank face, catching her attention with a start. "Just get cheddar. You already got my favourite type of chips, after all."

"Er...alright." Naminé muttered, placing the cheddar into the cart. They continued down the aisle, stopping once again at the milk section.

"What kind of milk?" Naminé asked, already reaching for the skim milk. He had never complained when they had it at her place.

"My mom always got two-percent."

Sighing again, Naminé reached for the one-percent. _A compromise if there ever was one._

The couple continued further, both silent. When they made it to the eggs, Roxas spoke. "Let's get free-range." He said, handing her the carton.

"They're more expensive though..." Naminé said doubtfully, thinking about all the other items they had to buy.

"But they're free-range."

"They're over two dollars more than that brand!" She jutted her thumb at another stack of cartons.

Roxas frowned. "They. Are. Free. Range."

"For a person who's' favourite food is a juicy steak, you sure care a lot about chickens." Naminé muttered under her breath.

Roxas sniffed mockingly. "Cheddar sucks."


	7. Special Breakfast

**07 - Special Breakfast**

It was a lazy Saturday morning when Naminé plodded sleepily into the kitchen. She had her robe on over her underwear, still in a dreamy haze from the lovely night she had spent with Roxas. She stood in front of the coffee-maker, yawning. She reached into a cupboard for her mug, then turned to the fridge to get some milk.

Then she screamed.

Not a full-out scream, really. But loud enough to wake Roxas up, and bring him running into the kitchen, eyes still bleary, looking for whatever could have caused the pure shriek of alarm.

As he skidded on the cream (slightly tinged-grey) linoleum, a surprised smile flew onto his face.

"Mom!"

* * *

"Honestly, you gave me quite a start." Naminé said, trying to laugh it off as she swept up the leftover shards from where she had dropped her favourite coffee mug. It was no surprise she had let it fall – when she had turned around earlier, she noticed for the first time the small woman with dark hair sitting at her kitchen table, calmly sipping at a cup of tea.

"Hm. Yes. You did come in here walking on cloud nine." Her eyebrows lowered. "So I suppose that I should assume all is well with my son?"

"Um. Yes?" Naminé answered quietly. "It's been fine." _Awkward..._

"Good."

Roxas had gone to get changed, while Naminé was stuck entertaining his mother. Who was now rummaging through their cupboards.

She squinted her eyes, peering closer, as if that would change the contents. "Ah...when was the last time you went grocery shopping?" She didn't wait for a reply, and she swiftly dragged her finger across the bottom of one of the emptier-cupboards, grimacing when there was a spot of dust left on her finger.

Naminé mentally groaned.

Roxas' mother moved to the fridge, opening it, looking speculative. She opened the drawers, and peered into the shelves. In other words – she was the nosiest kind of mother. Naminé watched, pained, as she began moving around the vegetables, rearranging the jams and such.

His mother took a step towards the bedroom, calling with a smile on her face. "Does my Roxy want me to make him his favourite breakfast this morning?"

"Yes, please! Thanks mom!" Roxas said happily from the bedroom.

For a moment, Naminé could see why Roxas doted on his mother as he did. To him, she was really quite...pleasant.

Then she turned back to the fridge with a frown, diving to inspect the cheese drawer.

After staring into it for a few moments, a puckered expression on her face, she turned towards Naminé with scorn written all over her face.

"Just _where_ do you keep your mozzarella?"


	8. Canine

**08 - Canine**

Both Roxas and Naminé were laying in bed one night, with the window open and the breeze rolling in. Roxas was leaning back on his crossed hands, eyes closed. Naminé put her mystery novel down, moving closer.

"Roxas?" She gently kissed him, letting her hand drift idly across his chest.

"Mm?" He said, sighing as she caressed his side. He could smell her coconut-scented shampoo, and he moved one of his hands to rub her back.

Naminé leaned closer, a sweet smile crossing her face. "I think we should get a dog."


	9. Snoopy

**09 - Snoopy**

"Roxas! Come look at this one!"

Roxas stifled his groan, as Naminé tugged on his arm, pulling him across the pet store to look at yet _another_ adorable puppy. This was only the second kennel they had visited, but it felt like the ninth.

"Look! There's so many of them!" She cooed, pressing her face eagerly against the glass. Roxas shrugged, leaning forward. Four or five tiny golden pups were hopping around each other, gnawing on each other's ears. But all the hyper movement gave the impression that there were at least a dozen.

As a particularly small one placed his paws on the wall of the cage, Naminé's cries of delight became louder, and someone looking at the reptiles turned around to look.

Roxas sighed again, then turned to look at the kennels further inside. Most of them were empty, except for one lone – older – dog, laying on a blanket.

"Naminé, what about that one?" Roxas pointed at the dog, and Naminé followed his gaze towards the dog.

"What kind is he?" She wondered, stepping up to the glass.

"A beagle." Roxas answered. "He was already named by his previous owners. Snoopy – the beagle."

Both of them paused, before Roxas chuckled.

"He's cute, huh?" Naminé whispered, pressing her hand against the glass. Snoopy's tail wagged for a second, before falling still. But his eyes were big and warm, and the young couple both leaned closer.

"Yeah. Looks like a keeper to me."


	10. Laundry Day

**10 - Laundry Day**

"Why did that fire alarm have to go off so early?" Roxas yawned, locking their apartment door behind them as they trudged back inside.

The incredibly loud alarm had gone off around five – waking the couple – and forced them outside in their pyjamas. It had turned out only to be a small smoke fire, result of a bad cook.

"Roxas? Could you start the dryer again?" Naminé asked, padding into the kitchen. "I'll make us some coffee. I don't think I'll be able to fall back asleep."

"Me neither. Okay." Roxas disappeared, and Naminé got out the bag of coffee from the cupboard, then looked for some cups. There were none.

She looked at the sink. It was full of dirty dishes, and she groaned. Leaving the coffee bag on the counter, she moved into the living room, sitting on the couch. _I'll wash them in a minute. After a little rest._

A little while later, Roxas walked into the living room, his arms full of warm laundry straight out of the dryer. Naminé was curled on the end of the couch, eyes closed. When he entered, Naminé started to sit up.

"Hey, sleepy. Think fast."

"Oh-!"

Naminé barely had opened her eyes before Roxas leapt onto the couch beside her, letting the laundry drop on top of the both of them.

Loose shirts of Roxas', and all the pillow cases and sheets that had been used when Naminé's parents came for a visit. Towels that had been used in the bathroom. All clean and fresh. And so warm they were practically steaming.

Naminé cooed, sinking further against her boyfriend and the warm clothing. It felt lovely against her chilled skin, and she closed her eyes again, feeling more sleepy than ever.

"Y'know, the clothes will wrinkle..." Roxas murmured, wrapping his arm around her waist. Neither of them moved.

"I hate ironing." Naminé sighed, "It's your turn, anyway."

"Fine." Roxas snuggled closer towards her, resting his cheek against the side of her head.

They both breathed another sigh of comfort, before drifting off to sleep.

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If you have any suggestions, or even a one-word prompt, these chapters will definitely be added faster xD  
getting the ideas is the hardest part!

and if i use your prompt/idea, I'll give credit where credit is due : D

thanks for sticking with me!


	11. Locked Out

**11 - Locked Out **

_(thank you purelywhite-nami!)_

Naminé sat at her desk, once again glancing at the clock sitting on her desk. Was it just her, or were the hands slowing down? She double-checked with the time on her computer. _Nope. _

_Only an hour more...an hour...you can do it. Sixty minutes. No problem._

She groaned and tapped her pen against her chin, looking back to the papers she had been working on for the past two hours. It was days like these where it seemed like _nothing_ got done. It just dragged on and on.

The phone on her desk began to ring, breaking her weak concentration. Grateful for the distraction, she reached over and brought the receiver to her ear.

"Good afternoon. Lawson Lundell. Naminé speaking. How can I help you?" She slumped when she heard the voice on the other end.

"_I'll never get tired of hearing you say that."_

Immediately a blush spread over her cheeks, and she cursed herself for not checking the caller ID. With a quick look around, she bent her head, and lowered her voice. "Roxas! You're not supposed to call me at work!" She hissed into the phone. "Last time-"

"_I know, I know. But – I got-" _

Just then, another employee walked past. Naminé sat up immediately; "Yes, Sir, I understand. Have you talked to our..." She trailed off as he disappeared around the corner. "Okay, you _what_?"

"_I'm locked out of the apartment."_

A grin spread across her face. "Really? How'd that happen?"

"_I was just getting the mail...I guess I flipped the lock on the handle inside before closing it. I don't have my keys."_

"Yikes. That's what you get for getting home before me, I guess."

"_Har, har."_ He laughed sarcastically.

"Just go to a coffee shop or something. I'll be finished in less than an hour."

"_But..."_ He faltered.

"Hm?"

"_...I-I don't have shoes."_

She smothered a laugh, dropping her pen onto her desk. "Roxas! This is what you get for walking around the building without _shoes!_"

He made a frustrated noise at the other end, and Naminé sighed, "I'll try to get out a few minutes early, but that's the best I can do. Sorry...you'll just have to...wait."

"_Okay. See you soon."_

"'Bye." She said, hanging up. With the thought off Roxas standing in the chilly hallway, barefoot, she turned back to her work with another laugh.

_To be continued..._

* * *

thanks for all the ideas! :D  
i'm already starting on the next chapter (a continuation of this one - incorporating another idea)

the one time i locked myself out of my house, i ended up climbing in through the window.  
i hadn't realized how easy it was to break in before that :/

until next time~


	12. Meeting Over Champagne

**12 - First Meeting**

_(Naminé's POV) - (FIRST PERSON!)_

We were both laying on our bed, Roxas with a book on his lap, while I stared at a document I was supposed to be proofreading. I felt my eyes glaze over for the umpteenth time. With a sigh, I tossed the paper onto the bedside table, and turned over so I was facing him. Leaning my head on my hand, I snuggled into his side, draping my arm over his stomach. I was silent for a moment, watching Roxas as he read. For some reason, the image of him when he was a teenager - when we first met - crossed my mind. His smile a bit cockier, his eyes more mischievous. With no signs of the lines of age just starting to appear on his forehead.

"Do you remember when we met?" I asked, even though I knew he did. "At that silly gathering our parents dragged us to?"

Roxas looked over me from his book, his finger holding his page. "You mean when I flirted with you from afar?" He knew what I was talking about, but we danced around each other's words nevertheless.

I didn't hide my laugh. "Yes." I said, before leaning forward, brushing my lips against his. The scent of minty toothpaste lingered.

"You looked bored out of your mind." He touched my cheek lightly, then tapped my nose. "I couldn't help but want to cheer you up."

"Well, you certainly made it more..." I closed my eyes, thinking back to when I didn't have to worry about anyone but myself. When my days were spent in carefree wandering. When my feet never hurt, and the only pain was when my cheeks ached from too much laughter.

"You certainly made my life a bit more interesting."

* * *

**_Back in the day..._**

I stood – back straight, arms at my sides – smiling and nodding as an older man described his company practices. I had listened patiently the entire evening as my mother guided me through each small cluster of people.

She frowned as I took a glass of champagne from one of the waiters as he passed by, but didn't comment. I didn't particularly like champagne, but it was comforting to hold the glass in my hands. I slowly gazed around the room; with its tall ceilings and chandeliers, it breathed elegance. The floor was a rich murky marble, polished to such an extent it looked as if I could eat right off of it.

Even though the hall was full of people, the noise level didn't rise above a quiet murmur. It was yet another fundraiser - that my mother helped organize - and for some reason, she thought it would be beneficial if I attended.

My eyes were drawn to the tall windows. The sun was just setting, and you could just make out the beautiful gardens surrounding the building. I longed to go outside, but when I had taken a step towards the door, my mother's hand on my arm drew me back. When the other men went back to being engrossed in conversation, she gave me a warning stare. I stayed.

There was a small outburst of deep chuckles from nearby. Yet another group of men in black suits and women in sparkling dresses. But to my surprise, there was also a boy who couldn't be a year or two older than me. He stood just outside the circle, like I was, and caught my eye with a sideways look.

I blinked, then glanced back at my mother. She hadn't noticed, looking enraptured in the man's conversation – even I couldn't tell if she was pretending or not. I looked back to the boy. He caught my eye, then raised his own champagne glass – his blonde hair was unruly for such an affair, but he was as well dressed as anyone. I could feel his eyes move up and down my figure, and I suddenly felt self-conscious of how I stood. How my dress fit my body. But when his smile lit up his eyes, I felt myself flush.

He winked suddenly – his eyes an intense blue - before taking a sip of his champagne. Cheeks red, I raised my glass slightly, then brought it to my lips. It was bubbly and sweet, tickling my throat when I swallowed.

The smallest of smiles. A tilt of the head. _Hello._ He mouthed.

_Hello._ I mouthed back, hoping that no one around noticed.

Just then, the man standing beside him gestured in his direction, and with one last look at me, he turned away. I felt disappointed, but didn't hesitate before turning back to the guests I was supposed to be entertaining.

The next time I turned around, the group of people were gone.

I didn't see him for the rest of the evening.

* * *

"Where _did_ you disappear to?" I asked, bringing both of us out of our daydreams.

Roxas looked up at the ceiling, thought for a moment, then spoke, "I'm pretty sure my uncle wanted me to show those people the art in that small room off to the side. Like I worked there or something." He added with a snort.

"I was so surprised when I saw you looking at me." I replied quietly.

He raised an eyebrow. "You were adorable. I couldn't stop myself. I wanted to kill my uncle when he dragged me away."

I smiled, "But I saw you at the next party, right?"

"Longest two weeks of my life."

He winked then, and I felt like I was back in that ballroom, blushing as the boy with the champagne smiled at me from a distance.

* * *

decided to write first-person, just for a change ^.^ (also, when I wrote the flashback originally, it sounded very...odd.)  
thanks for all the prompts last chapter. I meant to post this ages ago, but I've been busy. D:

the idea is that both their parents are quite well-to-do. the only way I could get the prompt 'ballroom' in there :P and I imagine both Roxas and Nam are a fair bit older in this chapter than the other chapters. it seems like i'm jumping around quite a bit in this collection!

- and yes, before the flashback, Nam describes herself as "carefree", even though she doesn't seem particularly joyful in the flashback itself. i wrote it that way intentionally - simply because it seems like when adults look back at their youth, they often present or picture themselves as a such a HAPPY and JOYFUL person, even if they weren't that way at all. i don't know. something like that. /rambles

the continuation of 'Locked Out' should be next. hope that won't be confusing, haha.  
thanks for reading!


	13. Neighbour

**13 – Neighbour _(continued from 11)_**

_(thank you whoever signed their review as 'Fan of yours' – wish you had an account I could formally give credit to!)_

* * *

Naminé held the plastic fob against the detector. After the beep, she opened the door, heading towards the elevator.

"Hi, Martin." She waved towards the man at the front desk before pressing the 'Up' button. Within two minutes, she was walking down the familiar hallway on the seventh floor. With a bland painting scattered here and there, she walked in a slight haze.

She glanced around, but didn't spot Roxas. She stood with the key in her hand, pausing once more at her doorway. It was quiet and empty. Naminé figured that if Roxas was locked out, he would be hanging around somewhere near the door, waiting for her.

_Maybe he found a way in?_ She thought to herself, before opening the door to the inside. It was quiet, but warm. She spotted Roxas' shoes by the door, and his coffee mug on the small table in the living room.

After draping her coat over the back of a chair, she did a quick walk through the apartment. He was nowhere to be found.

"Roxas?" She called out. There was no answer. Naminé felt a ball of worry grow in the pit of her stomach, before heading back towards the door.

Thinking he might have just wandered off, she poked her head out the door. After making sure her key was tucked in her pocket, and her shoes were on her feet, she stepped outside. "Roxas...?" She called quietly down the hall.

Feeling uneasy, she walked slowly down past the elevators. Turned the corner. More emptiness. She was just passing by apartment #314, when the door was flung open. Startled, Naminé took an automatic step back as light spilled onto the faded carpet.

A tall woman stood there, long brown hair tied up, with arched eyebrows and a slim waist. "Is this her, Roxas?"

Naminé had been about to move away, but when those words were spoken, in what Naminé would admit was the sexiest voice she had ever heard, she felt her cheeks grow hot.

Roxas came up behind the woman, a smile blooming onto his face. "It is! Naminé!" He quickly stepped outside and wrapped his arm around her, squeezing tightly for a few quick moments.

"H-Hi..." Naminé mumbled, still dumb-struck. "What are you doing here?" She asked, trying to hide her confusion.

"Oh, Meg here -" he gestured to the woman, "she saw me waiting and invited me inside." He laughed, "I was getting pretty cold."

Meg nodded, then looked back to Naminé. "We haven't met yet, have we? I'm Meg."

"Naminé." She answered quickly, reaching out to shake her hand. She felt childish in front of this exotic woman. Scents of spices Naminé couldn't even identify drifted out of her apartment.

"That's a beautiful name."

"T-Thanks." She paused, "And, sorry for any trouble."

Roxas laughed, "Yeah, I'll try not to forget my key again."

Meg smiled back. "It wasn't a problem. Hopefully we can all get together sometime." She waved, and Roxas pulled Naminé back towards their own door.

"'Bye, Meg. Thanks again."

Her door closed, and they walked back in silence until Roxas – with his arm still around her – gave her a little shake. "Hey. How was your day?"

"...Today..." Naminé trailed off, unable to shake off the image of Roxas lounging in Meg's apartment for as long as he did. "...It was fine."

Roxas nodded, and followed her back inside.

* * *

hmhm. i wrote namine more as 'uncertain' than 'jealous', but oh well... :3 - confrontation doesn't seem to be her thing, eh?  
and yay for having meg make an appearance ;D

please keep the prompts coming~!


	14. Ten More Minutes

**14 - Ten More Minutes**

_(thank you, mousehole!) _

* * *

"Roxas."

"Mm."

"_Roxas._"

"...Uh-huh."

"_ROXAS."_ Naminé repeated, flashing the bright overhead light on and off for good measure. Roxas finally tore his eyes away from the TV.

His thumb hovered over a button of the controller. "Yeah, what is it?" His voice was low; he had been entirely absorbed in the flashing colours abusing his eyes in the dark room, and found it difficult to concentrate on the interruption. If one didn't know better, you would see his bloodshot eyes, and assume he'd been smoking something he wasn't supposed to.

Roxas' eyes were heavy, but they flicked back to the screen anyway, and then over to his girlfriend, who was standing in the doorway to their bedroom. He was surrounded by a sea of sofa cushions, the remains of his dinner dishes spread out in front of him. He was still wearing his work shirt, but his pants had long since been thrown onto the couch in a fit of discomfort.

"It's past two." She sighed, leaning against the doorway tiredly.

"...Is it...?"

Naminé fought to keep her voice neutral. "You said you would only be twenty more minutes."

"I... did?..."

"Yes. Over two hours ago, actually." She added, growing more exasperated by the second. She had fallen asleep around midnight, only to be woken up by Roxas cursing at the video game. "I told you that this game was addicting."

"Not really -" Roxas said, his voice giving Naminé the idea her words were going in one ear, out the other, "I could stop if I wanted to."

She fought back another yawn, slipping a hand over her mouth. "Then save your silly game, and come to bed. You don't have work tomorrow, but this is just ridiculous."

"One minute. I just levelled up. Sweet."

"Roxas...this is so childish... what are you even_ doing_?"

"Please, Nam. This game requires critical thinking, and it's really sharpened my organizational skills." He faced the screen once more, not noticing how his bare foot was resting in the remnants of the potato on his dinner plate. "Not to mention spending on a budget. Look how much I've expanded!"

"...You're controlling a bunch of stuffed animals."

"Piñata's, Naminé. _Piñata's_."

* * *

hopefully that last line made it clear which game Roxas was playing ;D  
originally, this was going to be about a hockey game (whoo canucks!) - but i figured this might be more fun to write.

:3 give me a few prompts/ideas, and i'll definitely take 'em into consideration~


	15. The Elevator Incident

**15 - The Elevator Incident**

_(thanks for the idea, FlowerLady-Aerith!)_**  
**

* * *

It had been Naminé's turn to do the grocery shopping – and as she struggled to get through the front door of the building, her arms laden with at least four bags, a tanned arm reached around, propping the door open for her.

Naminé almost dropped the bags out of surprise, turning to look behind her. A man with the most impressive muscular physique Naminé had ever _seen_ - visible even through his collared shirt - stood there, a small grin on his face.

"You looked like you needed some help." He explained, his smile widening as Naminé continued to stare, unable to form a coherent thought. His hair – the most perplexing shade of almost-orange – framed a face cut out by the gods themselves. His straight nose and jawline would have made anyone stop and look.

"Oh...well, uh, thank you." Naminé finally said, moving into the building. The man followed her to the elevator, also nodding at the concierge.

He pressed the 'Up' button; after a few seconds of waiting, he turned to her. "Well, I suppose I better introduce myself. I'm Hercules." His voice wasn't as deep as she expected, and she found that it suited him.

Naminé balked. What a fitting name. "I'm Naminé. New to the building."

"Oh? Would you happen to be the lovely wife of Roxas?"

"What? Well, not wife. But...yes...I do live with him."

The elevator doors opened – letting the rest of the lingering tension fade - and Hercules followed Naminé inside, pressing the appropriate button. To her surprise, he offered to take her grocery bags.

"Really, it's no problem." He murmured, taking them gently. "Anyway, my wife – Meg – says that a new couple had moved in on our floor. What a lovely surprise to run into one half on the elevator."

"Hehe, yes, what a surprise."

Just as the elevator doors were closing, a hand snaked through, stopping it. An out-of-breath Roxas stood there as they opened, looking a bit disheveled.

"Hey, thanks." He muttered – halting as he looked up. "Naminé! Ah, were you getting groceries?"

"Roxas. Hi. Yes, I was." Naminé couldn't help but notice how much slimmer Roxas' shoulders were compared to Hercules'. And by the widening of her boyfriend's eyes when he got a better look at her elevator companion, he noticed too. "And I just met, um, Hercules here. He was just carrying the bags for me." She explained.

"Got it."

"Nice to meet you, Roxas. I live on the same floor."

"With Meg." Naminé chimed in.

Roxas nodded, and breathed a sigh of relief when the doors opened again. They all stepped out, with Hercules handing the grocery bags over to Roxas.

"Thanks for all your help." Naminé said, smiling gratefully. "We'll see you soon."

"Yes, yes. Please, we'd love to have you over for dinner sometime."

"We'll talk more about it." Roxas agreed, waving goodbye. Hercules turned, walking down the hall to left, while Roxas followed Naminé to their door.

He didn't say anything while she unlocked the door, or while they both hung up their coats. It wasn't until they were both seated on the couch, two mugs of tea sitting in front of them, did he speak about the elevator-incident.

"He's a pretty friendly guy."

"I guess." Naminé said, stirring her tea with a small spoon. "The two of them are." She thought of the curvacious Meg, with her long brown hair. "What a good-looking couple, huh?"

Roxas took his time sipping at his tea. "I suppose. I don't really like the huge muscles. And did you see his hair? I can't stand it when guys dye their hair."

Naminé, sensing just a little bit of jealousy, merely shrugged.

"Don't worry. I go for scrawny blondes."

"Hey!"

* * *

aww. jealous Roxas : D  
I have to say that I had a lot of fun writing this in the twenty minutes it took...(gah! so short, though!)  
I have to mention that I haven't seen the movie Hercules in about...say, seven years? XD

if you have any other ideas about characters who should also make an appearance (or any ideas at all), send them my way in a review! :D

**[new poll on profile]**


	16. Growing Up

**16 - Growing Up**_  
_

_(thanks for the suggestion, NeverGirl!)_

* * *

"Tie or no tie?"

"No tie. Wear your dark jeans. And that clean shirt left in the closet."

"Naminé, that shirt is purple."

"It's _dark_ purple, Roxas. It looks nice on you, so I don't see what the big deal is."

Grumbling, Roxas took the shirt off its hanger, slipping his arms through the sleeves. "I don't get why we have to go to this party. We don't know anyone except for Meg and...and her husband." His voice was low as he buttoned his shirt.

"I think it was nice they invited us. We don't know anyone in the building, and it's about time we met them." Naminé watched Roxas frown at his reflection in the mirror. "We won't stay for too long if it gets boring, okay?"

"Okay..." He muttered back, trying not to sound like he was pouting. He knew he had failed, as Naminé merely laughed, and kissed him on the cheek.

* * *

"Naminé – Roxas. You made it!" Hercules sent them both a flashing smile from where he was pouring drinks at the counter. "Everyone, these are the new tenants down the hall."

There were more people than the couple had expected, and they felt the attention of the room fall to them. The furniture in the living room had been rearranged to accommodate everyone, and there was music playing softly in the background.

Meg appeared from the other side of the room, immediately accosting Naminé. She wore a clinging black silk shirt, with her hair loose around her shoulders. "How about a glass of wine to start you off, hm?" She maneuvered Naminé through the crowd, leaving Roxas standing with his arms at his side, wondering why exactly NAMINE WOULD LEAVE HIM ALONE LIKE THAT.

Thankfully, a couple came up and introduced themselves after a few moments of Roxas looking intensely at the far wall. The man had a mop of thick black hair, and quirked eyebrows, with a straight nose. The woman standing beside him held a baby in her arms. Roxas couldn't help but admire her full lips, and long black hair tied behind her back. She was adorned in more jewelry than looked comfortable, and the baby had his fingers wrapped around one of the beads.

"Hi there. I'm Aladdin." The man introduced himself, reaching out to shake Roxas' hand. He must have been quite a few years older than Roxas, but his smile was impish.

"Roxas."

"How are you finding the building so far?"

Similar conversation followed, with others entering and leaving the conversation. After a little while, Aladdin excused himself to use the washroom. Roxas was left with his wife – who had introduced herself as Jasmine.

Feeling the silence approaching, Roxas glanced at the child she held in her arms. "Cute little guy."

"Oh, you like babies? Little Abu is getting bigger every day." When she smiled, Roxas felt his ears grow warm, and nodded weakly. The baby boy merely stared at Roxas, in an almost accusing way.

To be honest, Roxas had never really cared for babies. Then again, the only times he came into contact with them was when they were crying on a crowded bus. Or on a crowded street. Or in a crowded elevator.

You get the point.

He had only held his baby cousin once, and only for a few seconds, before his sister had reminded him about that "soft spot" on a baby's head and he had quickly returned the baby to his mother's arms.

Hercules poked his head out of the kitchen from across the room. "Jasmine! What should we do with the dish you brought?" He called, and Jasmine glanced at Roxas.

"Sounds like they need me for a minute. Would you mind holding him until Aladdin gets back?"

"Oh, I'm not sure-"

Suddenly deaf, Jasmine didn't seem to notice his weak protest. She gently placed the baby in his arms, before walking away with a quick "Thanks so much".

Roxas stared at the tiny baby. He stared back, dark eyes peering up at him. "Abu, she called you?" He raised an eyebrow. "Seems like a silly nickname."

Abu merely blinked. The young man sighed, his arms frozen, his back uncomfortably straight. He was all too aware that he was holding a _life_ in his arms.

_Please don't cry...please don't cry...for the love of god, don't cry, little baby..._

He adjusted Abu in his arms – who was wearing an outfit that looked incredibly comfortable – when he made a gurgling noise at the back of his throat. Almost like a coo.

Roxas couldn't stop the smile from appearing on his face. "Oh..." He breathed, holding the baby closer. "You're not going to cry, are you."

Abu's mouth opened, with his pink gums smiling up at Roxas. Feeling strangely warm inside, Roxas found himself holding Abu closer to his chest.

"Hi there... us grownups look pretty silly, huh..."

Roxas continued to mumble nonsensical sentences, breathing in that _baby_ smell. Eventually he unfolded one of his arms, moving to touch the soft black hair on the top of his head. When Abu's hands grabbed onto one of Roxas' single fingers, his heart thrummed. Even though his arms were already tired, and his lower back had begun to ache, he wasn't thinking about anything other than the grinning baby in his arms.

Needless to say, when Aladdin came back a few minutes later, Roxas asked if he could hold Abu for a few more minutes.

* * *

"That was okay, wasn't it?" Naminé asked a while later, as they were headed back down the hall.

"Yeah...I had a nice time."

"Oh, good. I was wondering how it went after I left you." She wrapped her arm around his side, squeezing him lightly. Roxas was quiet as he unlocked the door, waiting until Naminé had taken off her shoes before speaking.

"Naminé?"

"Hm?"

Roxas looked at her. He cupped her face in his hands, leaning to kiss her. Surprised, it took Naminé a few seconds before she returned the kiss. Her fingers grasped the shirt on his side, pulling him closer.

They separated, then met again. He kissed down her cheek, and slowly moved towards her neck. She sighed deeply, and he held her closer, one arm around her side.

"I love you, Naminé." He said softly. His words were hushed against her skin. A tingle rose from inside her, and she opened her eyes.

"And...I want to have a family with you."

She blinked.

"Not now. We're still in the middle of everything." His fingers traced the bottom of her spine. "Eventually, though. I know that I want to be with you, for however long you'll take me."

They both hugged the other a little harder.

"Forever, Roxas."

* * *

yes. I finally got to include Aladdin/Jasmine :D  
I couldn't think of a name for the baby... hope this wasn't too weird.

^.^ NeverGirl, I slightly changed what you originally had suggested - I thought Roxas going baby-crazy would be fun to write.  
(and, wow, it's been a while since I've updated...)


	17. The Leash

**17 - The Leash**

_(thanks to both Rosekun25 and The Silence Will Set Me Free for the ideas~)_

* * *

"Alright, Snoop. Here we go." Roxas detached the leash from the dog's collar, folding it up in his pocket. The dog tilted his head, looking up at Roxas.

"Go on." Roxas nodded, and Snoopy took a few steps, glancing back to see if Roxas would object. When Roxas slowly began to follow, the dog's tail wagged. He trotted forward, a few strides ahead of Roxas.

Breathing deeply, Roxas surveyed the dog park. It was early – not even seven; but even at this time of day, the wide expanse of grass already had quite a few dogs sniffing about. Snoopy had picked up the pace, nose to the ground. In the cold air, Roxas felt his chest tighten with every breath. He briefly wondered if he was coming down with something.

_Five years ago, I was jogging outside until November..._

_I should start jogging again..._

Roxas bit his lip, mind wandering. He thought of what he had said to Naminé the night before. He hadn't been thinking of actually _telling_ her that - but when they kissed, he felt closer to her than he had in a long time. It had felt right. But when he had actually said the words out loud, there had been a moment where she had frozen in his arms. A split second.

What did that mean?

It was sudden, what he said. Out of the blue. Naminé hadn't held little Abu. She hadn't experienced that with him. It was only natural that it surprised her.

But she had answered with _Forever_. Which meant more than he could describe.

Honestly, there was nothing better than being in love with a girl who loved you back.

Roxas looked up, a smile on his face. Lost in his thoughts, it took him a few seconds to realize that the park was already filling up with more dogs. And people. Lots of people. Older couples, and younger couples - even some kids. And plenty of people on their own. It was actually kind of crowded.

_Where did that dog go..._ He groaned, standing straight.

"Snoopy!" Roxas called quickly, whistling sharply afterwards. He gazed from side to side, looking at each group of playful dogs carefully for the beagle.

Whistling again, Roxas walked a bit faster through the park. It wasn't too large – but on the north side, there was a large group of trees, and further along the path, a small lake. He could have gone anywhere. This was only their third time to the park - and Snoopy had never gone out of Roxas' sight.

Cursing under his breath, Roxas put aside his shame, and continued to yell for his dog, increasingly louder.

He had just cupped his hands around his mouth, lips dry, when he was bowled over by something large and heavy. Roxas fell flat onto the damp grass, the breath knocked out of him. He stilled for a moment, the sky bright. Pushing himself up off the ground, a slobbery tongue licked his cheek.

"Agh..." Roxas groaned, struggling to his feet. A big sheep dog stood in front of him, tongue hanging out.

"Max! Come back here!"

A young girl – twelve or so – ran up, throwing one arm around the dog to keep him from scampering off. She stared up at Roxas brazenly. "You fell." She said, not looking particularly apologetic. In fact, she looked amused.

"Yeah, thanks for noticing." Roxas muttered, rubbing his arm. The girl had dark brown hair – near black. But her eyes were a light blue.

Just then, a woman came up behind Roxas, to the side of the girl. "Melody, I told you to keep an eye on him." She said sternly, handing her a leash. She turned to Roxas, and he immediately noticed the resemblance – even though her hair was a fiery colour, her eyes were the same blue, and the way they looked at him without any pretense gave the impression that they were the stubborn type.

"Hi." Roxas said weakly, smiling. The woman smiled back; at least she was friendly.

"Hello – our dog didn't bother you, did he?"

"No, I just-"

The girl broke in, "Max knocked him over. On the ground."

A blush grew over his cheeks. "It's fine. I just didn't see him-"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Melody was supposed to keep track of him." She gestured towards the girl. "When my husband suggested we go to the park, I thought we would go early to beat the crowds." She sighed, tucking her long hair back. "Turns out everyone had the same idea. I'm Ariel, by the way."

"Roxas."

Melody just gazed at Roxas, not looking away. "Why are you at a dog park without a dog?"

"I have a-" Roxas stood straight. "Right. Yeah." His eyebrows quirked downwards. How could he have forgotten about his missing dog. _Moron._ "Have either of you seen a beagle? Not a puppy, but pretty energetic-"

Roxas felt something on his leg, and looked down. Snoopy was sitting at his feet, his head slightly resting against his shin. Roxas' face burned. "Oh...never mind then." He quickly took the leash out of his pocket, clipping it back onto Snoopy's collar.

"Doesn't look like it's the dog that needs the leash."

"Melody..." Ariel said in a warning tone. But Roxas didn't miss the smile she hid behind her hand.

* * *

_ahah, so many good-looking couples in Disney :3 (writing Melody in was ridiculously difficult...I never really liked her, haha)  
maybe Eric will make an appearance at some point. maybe._

to answer a question, no, Roxas and Namine aren't married. yet(? - thoughts?)  


_SEE HOW MUCH FASTER I UPDATE WHEN YOU GIVE ME IDEAS?  
really. keep 'em coming.  
_


	18. Naps

**18 - Naps**

* * *

Back at the apartment, Roxas took the leash off of the tired beagle before collapsing onto the couch. He kicked off his shoes, resting them on the coffee table. Snoopy quickly walked to his dog bowl, drinking deeply. Water splashed onto the floor, and Roxas merely sighed. He shrugged out of his jacket.

Naminé looked over from her desk – which was tucked up against the window at the other side of the room – and smiled. "Someone looks tired."

"This dog... He has way too much energy... and I almost got run over by a dog... and a little girl mocked me..." He could barely finish the sentence.

Laughter. "Sounds exciting."

Roxas just closed his eyes and leaned back against the couch. Snoopy slowly walked to the couch, and climbed next to Roxas. The dog's head flopped onto Roxas' leg, eyes closing immediately. It was quiet throughout the apartment, only the slow breaths of two sleeping beings filling the air.

Naminé soundlessly pulled out her phone, taking a quick picture of the sleeping duo. She admired the photo – Roxas' head was tilted back, mouth slightly agape.

Once she turned back to her laptop, Naminé couldn't help but think about what Roxas had said earlier. About wanting a family – _with her_. She loved Roxas, there was no doubt there; yet she couldn't help but feel as if there was an imbalance. She was committed to him, entirely, but words like that frightened her.

At the time, it had been easy to agree. When he said it - so earnestly - it all made sense. It was the simplest thing. But Roxas wasn't looking at the big picture... they were so young... they had so much time to think about all of these things. Why was he so eager to talk about it now? Their careers were just getting started. Didn't he realize all that would have to be put on hold?

She shook her head, and stood up. She loved him. That was the important part. They could sort this out later. Naminé grabbed the blanket off of the back of an armchair, and carefully draped it over Roxas, careful to leave the snoozing beagle's muzzle uncovered.

She pet the dog, then went back to work.

* * *

An hour later, a chime coming from Roxas' pocket roused him from his nap. His eyes opened slowly – the light coming in through the window was brighter, and Snoopy was laying on his back with his paws stretched out above him. He twitched.

Roxas yawned, reaching into his pocket. On the front screen of his phone, he saw the words that sent a jolt of fear throughout his entire body. _Naminé has added a photo of you_. He emitted a small groan before taking a closer look.

For all his friends and family to see, a picture of him napping on the couch with the dog beside him. There was a comment.

'_Isn't he a little old for naps?'_ a coworker. Great.

Another chime. Another photo had been added. Roxas quickly checked the notification.

It was identical to the previous picture, except copious amounts of different fruits were strewn around his sleeping form. There was a large sunhat on his head, with a bright yellow flower. Snoopy had a feather boa draped over him, and a tiny top hat made out of paper balanced on his head. Roxas' arms had been propped up, and he was holding a book. Naminé had taped paper over the cover of the book - _"Of Course You're Still Single, Take a Look at Yourself You Dumb Slut_".

_19 comments._

Roxas threw his phone onto the couch beside him, startling Snoopy.

"NAMINE, YOU HAVE SUCH A WEIRD SENSE OF HUMOUR!" He yelled, while uncontrollable laughter emerged from the other room.

Roxas vowed never to nap again.

* * *

I know it's been ages - university is all AOGNSLGNLSNGthirstythursdays SBGSODUGBSL  
but yes, keep the prompts coming! :) Aparment Life is, for whatever reason, really relaxing to write.


	19. Morning

**19 - Morning**

* * *

Roxas would never tell Naminé, but he didn't like it when she woke up before him. He wasn't sure what it was, maybe the vulnerability that sleep brought, combined with the fact that Naminé was incredibly keen to playing pranks on Roxas. And the chances of this happening tripled whenever they slept in the same bed. Roxas wasn't exactly a heavy sleeper, but Naminé knew how to be sneaky.

Before they at had moved in together, Roxas remembered (unknowingly) to work with a daisy drawn on the back of his neck after Naminé had spent the night at his place. When someone had finally pointed it out, hours later, Roxas had spent ten minutes scrubbing at it in the bathroom, cursing permanent markers and the hands that wielded them.

So once they had moved in together, he had gradually trained himself to wake up early. At first he had always lay still, waiting for Naminé to wake. He would hardly allow himself to stretch. But he soon realized that it took more than a little shifting and noise to wake Naminé from a deep sleep, and before he knew it, he was washing up, and later doing sit-ups in the corner before Naminé would even begin to stir. And by the time she was awake, he could hand her a cup of tea and some toast.

Yeah, he knew he was a good boyfriend.

But on this particular morning, Roxas slipped back into bed. He hadn't seen a whole lot of Naminé lately, and he had gotten back particularly late last night - she had already been in bed when he finally left work. He was beginning to feel on-edge. They hadn't spent any quality time together in... a while.

Roxas moved slowly, pulling and straightening the sheet as he covered them both. Naminé was on her side - facing away - with her hands tucked under her pillow, still sound asleep.

Roxas glanced at her bare back as the sheets began to settle. He slid closer, hands under the sheets; Naminé was facing away from him, and Roxas remained on his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows. She didn't stir as Roxas touched her side with his right hand, sliding it along her lower back, encircling her waist.

He gently kissed the back of her shoulder, lowering, before circling back up and resting his cheek against the side of her head. Naminé made the first noises of awakening, and stretched her arms up. She pressed her back against him, and their hands found each other; she squeezed his fingers gently.

"Good morning," Roxas' voice was low in his throat. He was far from sleepy, and all different parts of his body were certainly awake. Naminé evidently felt him against her hip, and turned to face him. Her voice was groggy, but her eyes were bright and trained on him.

"'Morning," she murmured, eyes closing briefly. "What time is it?"

"Almost eight,"

Naminé frowned, "It's early..."

Neither of them were working today; it was rare for them both to have the day off. Roxas nudged her awake as her eyes were closed again. He nuzzled her ear and worked his fingers down the side of her body.

Before he could say anything, though, Naminé had slipped out of bed, out of his arms, grabbed a shirt, and was closing the bathroom door behind her. Roxas groaned in disappointment, and readjusted himself in his boxers. He sat up, kicking the sheets off of his legs. Looking around the small bedroom, he managed to grab the remote off the side table without moving too much, and turned on the TV. It was a small thing, and wasn't used much. Usually on mornings like these, when you didn't have a place to be, or put on pants for a little while yet.

Minutes later, the bathroom door was flung open. Naminé walked directly in front of the TV, switching it off. Roxas didn't protest, just tossed the remote onto the floor, as Naminé jumped onto the bed. She pushed his shoulders back until he was laying down, climbing onto him so her legs were on either side of his.

They shared a soft kiss. His hands were resting on his legs, and their grip tightened, pulling her down closer onto him. The kiss became... less soft.

"I wanna do it," Her voice was careful and deliberate, and the fingers that had been playing with his hair pulled on it just the slightest.

"Oh, god, please. Yes," His voice was hoarse. "I really want to."

He reached up and helped tug the shirt over her head. It felt like they should laugh, the silliness of it all - but the tension in the room had become near-desperate, fingers working more urgently than was necessary. Naminé's soft sigh. Roxas struggling to get out of his boxers. Naminé not helping, dealing out kisses along his jaw, and a gentle bit on his earlobe.

They decided not to get out of bed for a _very_ long time.

* * *

I realized there hasn't been much fluff in a while :) gee, it was hard to stop writing there.

I'm working on the next few chapters now (using all the wonderful prompts you guys have given me! I love them!)

Thanks for sticking with me.  
Back to studying for finals!


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